


fix you

by skullkidd



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Fix It Fic, KH3 spoilers, dark kid crying, i miss vanitas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-06
Packaged: 2019-10-21 06:33:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17637614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skullkidd/pseuds/skullkidd
Summary: I rewrote that one scene with that one darkness boy to give him what he was robbed of





	1. lights will

The battle grinds to a halt as a pillar of darkness begins to rise around Vanitas.

Sora had delivered the blow that had frozen the fight in place, and now the three of them stand, watching Vanitas as the helmet he’d worn until this moment, as if some kind of security blanket, begins to crack. Sora and Ventus both watch as the pieces fall, Sora in shock and Ventus in fear, until half of Vanitas’s matching face appears within their gaze. His eyes are bright yellow, his hair black- he looks the same as he did before, Ventus muses, which is a slight surprise as well as a relief. Ventus had more or less lost all hope for Vanitas all those years ago, but he was relatively surprised at his lack of the staple silver hair that can be attributed to falling for the lure of Xehanort’s darkness.

It’s a relief, sure, but Ventus isn’t quite sure if he can mark it as hope as well. Not yet, at least.

Ventus manages to stifle a reaction, but Sora’s shock snakes its way across his face clear as day.

“Your face…” Sora whispers, earning a nod from Vanitas.

“I’m the piece of Ventus that was taken away, and you’re the piece that Ventus needed to be whole again. So… Why shouldn’t you and I look exactly the same? You define me, Sora, the same way that Ventus does.”

Ventus wants to say something, anything, but for some reason he can’t think of anything. Vanitas doesn’t seem remorseful, he doesn’t even seem upset about the fact that his body is fading away. Why doesn’t he care? He’s faded away once before, by Ventus’s own hand. Doesn’t he know how it feels? Does he think he’ll just come back again? If Xehanort ends up defeating the Guardians of Light according to plan, does Vanitas really think he’d even care to try to bring him back?

“We are brothers who, together, make a greater whole.”

“Then why won’t you stand by our side?!” Sora demands, echoing the same thought ringing through Ventus’s mind that he can’t seem to bring to words. “Instead of with darkness?!”

“Because I  _ am  _ darkness. And I do stand by your side. I’m the shadow that you cast. How much closer could I be?”

“But I didn’t-”

Ventus hand flies out in front of Sora, his silence finally breaking. “But I didn’t ask for this,” he says, taking a few steps towards his other half. “To be sifted apart, nice and neat. We should be free to choose. Not just light, not just darkness.  _ We  _ decide who we are.”

“But… Ventus, I  _ did  _ decide who I am. You see?”

“And what you are is darkness?!” He demands, any anger he’d been holding for the boy who’d ruined his life slowly fading away as he begins to understand, just hoping for some kind of sign to confirm what he’s hoping is the truth.

Vanitas’s fists both clench as he speaks, eyes dragging down to the ground. “What I am is darkness. Okay?”

“How is that okay? Vanitas?!” Sora demands, as Vanitas’s body begins to slowly fade.

“It’s not,” Ventus says, Vanitas’s head whipping up to look at him. “It’s not okay. None of this is okay. Vanitas, I know you believe in your heart that’s all you are, but it isn’t. It can’t be.”

“Who are you to choose what I am?”

“Your better half?” He offers with a slight laugh, though Vanitas just stares at him, body fading. “I can’t choose for you, Vanitas, but I can make you an offer. Join us, and we’ll help you. We all will.”

Vanitas clenches his fist again, Ventus for the first time taking note of the fact that he’s digging his nails into his palm, hand ever so slightly shaking. “I think it’s too late for that.”

Ventus’s heart stings at the realization that Vanitas’s body is nearly out of sight, rushing forward to offer his hand. “It’s not too late for you! Take it!”

“I can’t!” Vanitas snaps, falling to his knees and holding his arms to his stomach. “I’m just darkness! I can never be on your side!”

“Vanitas, just take my hand!” Ventus demands, as Vanitas’s eyes, filled with pain and brimming with tears, stare up at it.

He slowly reaches his hand up, towards Ventus’s, their fingers nearly touching.

And then Vanitas fades.

Ventus stares down at the spot, a tear dropping from his eye as he stands, surrounded by the broken pieces of Vanitas’s mask.

“Ventus…” He hears Sora whisper, Ventus immediately whipping around.

“I’m going to save him.”

“Ven, he’s gone,” Aqua starts, and Ventus shakes his head.

“Sora came back. Vanitas can, too. I’m going to save him.”

“How do you expect to do that?” Sora asks, and Ventus sighs.

“I’ll be right back.”

“What do you-” Aqua starts, though her and Sora are both far enough away from Ven to be able to stop him before he summons Wayward Wind, driving it directly into his own heart.

And then there’s nothing but darkness.


	2. guide you home

Ventus wakes to the sky both above and below him.

_ Where am I?  _ he thinks to himself, looking all around. He isn’t sure what’s going on, but he doesn’t care. There’s nothing on his mind except saving Vanitas.

And, sure, maybe Vanitas doesn’t even want to come back.

But Ven has never been one to back down from saving someone.

His eyes land on a figure, dressed in black, walking behind a wall some distance away. He takes off towards it, though loses sight of it as he turns the same corner.

“Vanitas!” He calls out, searching frantically around for any sign of him.

_ Are you looking for someone? _

Ven whips around, standing face to face with a collection of sparkles in the shape of a star.

“Yeah, I followed someone here. Have you seen him?”

_ I saw a boy come through here a few moments ago, he headed off into those walls. He looked a little lost. Did you follow him here?  _ A feminine voice asks, and Ven nods.

“Yeah, I just… I didn't want to let him go. I had to fix what just happened to him.”

_ Is he your love?  _ The voice asks, and Ventus immediately jumps.

“What? No! He’s just… Half of my heart. And I think he deserves another chance. I came here to bring him back.”

_ From the Final World? That seems impossible, and yet… Somehow, you’ve both managed to retain a physical form. It seems to me like you both have very strong wills tying you to your lives. I hope you find him. _

“Yeah, me too…” Ventus says, voice trailing off as he looks off in the direction of the collection of oddly shaped walls jutting out in various directions.

_ I feel as though I know you from somewhere,  _ the voice says, and Ventus looks down at the star again.

“I… I only know one person who’s died, and I, uh… I don’t think it’s you. Sorry,” Ven says with a chuckle,  scratching the back of his neck. “Where exactly are we, anyway?”

_ This is what we call the Final World. Those whose lives have ended come here to rest. It’s nearly impossible to feel sadness here, only peace. You say you followed someone here? If that’s so, you should not have ended up here at all. Not if you made the choice to come. _

“Huh,” Ventus muses, but he doesn’t have time to think about the implications. “Sorry, I have to go. You said that way?”

_ Yes. _

“Thank you. I’ll be back, though, once I find him. Maybe you can come back with us.”

_ I would like that, but unfortunately it doesn’t work like that. I’m not sure even you will be able to leave, and most definitely not me. _

“Nonsense, we’ll all go back together. I promise!”

The star giggles.  _ Alright, I’ll see you later, then. Ventus. _

Ventus sends the star a grin before taking off in the direction of Vanitas.

The closer he gets, though, the more Vanitas’s he sees.

It’s like there’s hundreds of him, all mirrored all around the odd arrangement of walls and ropes and sky. It’s shocking, jarring, but doesn’t stop him from taking off towards the nearest one. He gets to him, dropping to his knees to get to the same level as the Vanitas laying on the ground in front of him, knees pulled to his chest.

“Vanitas, is that you?” He asks, reaching a hand forward to place on his shoulder. As soon as they make contact, Vanitas fades, and Ventus has to suppress the sinking feeling he gets in his chest at the sight of Vanitas fading yet again.

He repeats the process, finding yet another miserable-looking Vanitas who just vanishes when Ventus touches him. He isn’t sure how many Vanitas’s he’s tried to talk to until he reaches one Vanitas in particular, sitting on a ledge of one of the sideways walls, facing away from Ventus.

Ven approaches slowly, and Vanitas jumps as Ventus whispers his name.

Vanitas nearly falls of the ledge, though he pulls himself up, backing away from Ventus carefully. “What are you doing here?!” Vanitas demands, which isn’t a surprising reaction considering their history, but Ventus, having just quite literally  _ given his life for Vanitas,  _ isn’t really in the mood for their usual adversarial meeting.

“I came to get you. You’re coming back with me.”

“Like Hell I am,” Vanitas says, rolling his eyes.

Ventus rolls his eyes right back, holding out a hand. “Vanitas, come with me. Come  _ home.  _ You don’t belong here.”

“I’ve been here before,  _ Ventus, _ ” Vanitas hisses. “Or did you forget? You’re the one who sent me here.”

“And now I’m here to bring you back. We’ve been forced into opposition for too long, Vanitas. Don’t you want to just be  _ happy  _ for once? Don’t you want to just  _ stop? _ ”

Vanitas stares at him for a few moments, deadpan. “Stop what? Hurting? I’m fine right here, thanks. Nothing hurts here.”

“Really?” Ventus asks. “You seem pretty hurt to me.”

Vanitas stares at Ventus again, and Ven isn’t sure if it’s just the endless sky reflecting in his eyes but he could swear Vanitas’s eyes had turned glassy for a moment. “I’m fine. I’m not going back there.”

“Vanitas, come on-” Ventus starts, taking a step closer to Vanitas, who takes a step back, a step closer to the ledge.

“Get away from me!” Vanitas yells in his face. “Just leave me alone, Ventus! Leave me alone!”

“No, I’m not leaving you here again!”

Ventus takes another step forward, about to make contact with the one final Vanitas, before he disappears, reappearing behind Ventus with clenched fists, nails digging into his palms.  _ The star said people don’t feel sadness here. Why is he still hurting? _

“You need to leave. I didn’t ask you to follow me. Like you said, I didn’t ask for any of this! I never asked to be born, so just let me  _ die! I want to die!” _

“You’re more than Xehanort told you you are, Vanitas! You don’t have to live your life in pain! It doesn’t have to be like this!” Another attempt to touch him, and another disappearance and reappearance a certain distance away.

“I don’t care,  _ Ventus.  _ I don’t care anymore, I just want to be alone!”

One more attempt, one more disappearance, and Ventus snaps.

“Vanitas,  _ stop!” _

“Leave. Me. Alone! I don’t want to go back, I don’t- I can’t hurt you anymore! Why can’t you just let me go?!”

He steps forward, and this time Vanitas doesn’t disappear. “I’m not letting you go. Not again. You are more than this, I know you are.”

Vanitas just stares at him for a few moments- they’re face to face, noses nearly touching, and both breathing heavily.

Suddenly, and much to Ventus’s surprise, Vanitas’s face begins to contort, before he breaks down into full-blown tears, hands flying up to his face in apparent embarrassment. “I just want to stop  _ hurting,  _ Ventus.”

Ven stands there, in shock and confusion seeing Vanitas of all people have a breakdown.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Ven starts, holding a hand out with a light smile. Vanitas looks up from his hands, before reaching a shaky hand forward. He stops just before they make contact, opting instead to throw his arms around Ventus’s body, head buried in his shoulder.

“I’m sorry.”

Ven closes his eyes, hugging Vanitas back as the final piece of Vanitas- Ventus himself- falls into place.

When he opens his eyes, the two of them are back in the Keyblade Graveyard, Vanitas pulling himself away in embarrassment, looking around at everyone staring at them in confusion.

“You’re back!” Ventus hears Aqua yell, turning around just in time for her to tackle him nearly to the ground. He laughs as she ruffles his hair, looking up as Terra approaches him, a soft smile on his face.

“Terra!” Ventus beams, leaping forward into his and Aqua’s arms. When he finally pulls back, wiping a tear off his cheek, he turns to see Vanitas slowly walking away, causing Ven to roll his eyes.

“Hey, Van!” He calls, causing Vanitas to whip around. “Get over here.”

He holds his arm open to gesture for Vanitas to join the hug. There’s a few moments of seeming hesitation, before a small smile cracks across Vanitas’s face, rushing back to join the three of them.

“I told you the light is better!” Sora exclaims, all but jumping on the four of them. “You’re gonna get along great with Roxas, Vanitas! I just know it!”

Vanitas is clearly stifling a smile, and Ventus isn’t sure if he’s ever felt a pure positive emotion before. Nevertheless, he reaches forward, giving him a light punch on the arm. “I’m not sure you’ll be able to hand two of me.”

“I- Two?!” Vanitas splutters, and Ventus laughs, rolling his eyes and pulling Vanitas back into the hug.

“Welcome back.”

 

* * *

 

Ventus shakes Vanitas awake in the middle of the night.

He’d settled in surprisingly well, though surprisingly well was nothing short of he’s barely opened up to Ventus about what life with Xehanort was like, and occasionally he’ll tell Roxas he’s ’pretty okay.’ Despite this, Ventus finds himself continuously leaning on Vanitas for support, and Vanitas seems oddly willing to give it. They’d been sharing a room since getting home until they can find one suitable for Vanitas, but neither of them really mind.

“I feel like I’m forgetting something… Something important. It’s almost like it’s been pulled right out of my brain, to a place where I’m just short of reaching it. Something’s missing. Someone’s missing,” Ven says, pensive and only slightly frantic.

Vanitas rolls over, eyelids drooping with sleep. “Man, for someone who went comatose for ten years, you sure do seem to hate sleep.”

“Man, for someone who forced me into a ten-year coma you sure are inconsiderate about my ten-year coma,” Ventus rolls his eyes. “Still, I don’t know. I can’t help but feel like I’m forgetting something.”

“I’m sure it’s fine, Ventus. Get to sleep.” Vanitas mutters, snoring almost instantly, and Ventus sighs.

_ He’s probably right. _

_ Everyone’s here. We all made it out. _

 

* * *

 

“You knew he would forget you, didn’t you?”

_ Of course I knew, Chirithy. But he seemed to happy, who was I to take that away from him? _

Chirithy sighs, shaking it’s head sadly. “I don’t think I’ll ever know what to do with you.”

The star chuckles, and had she had a body, probably would have blushed.  _ He reminds me of someone else, what can I say? Besides, he lost his memories a long, long time ago. It just felt nice to be reminded of the past. Someone will come for me, though, I’m sure of it. _

Chirithy just shrugs. “If that’s what you want to believe, then I will too. I miss him, though.”

_ Me, too.  
_

 

* * *

 

Despite being apprehensive at first, the Guardians of Light warmed up to Vanitas rather quickly.

Specifically Roxas, Sora and Ventus, Vanitas seemed genuinely happy for the first time since Ventus had met him.

Still, Ventus finds that he will occasionally find Vanitas with his nails dug into his palms, sitting on the edge of the Land of Departure or the tree on Destiny Islands, and he always refuses to tell Ventus what’s on his mind. Ven knows he’ll open up in his own time, and Ventus is prepared to give him all the time he needs.

Ventus had started holding Vanitas’s hand as a way to stop him from digging his nails into the palms of his hands, though over time it had turned into more of a comfort for them both. They became inseparable fairly quickly despite Vanitas occasionally being a real pain to deal with having retained his assholery in his return, though Ventus just found it more and more endearing as time went on.

It took Aqua the longest to warm up to him, though after breaking each other’s walls, the two became better friends than a lot of the Guardians of Light.

Vanitas wakes Ventus up one night, similarly to how Ventus often wakes Vanitas up, solely to utter a few words in the dark of Ventus’s room. Ven used to lock his door at night, but since Vanitas had been living with them, he’d always left it open in case of nights like these.

“Ven?” Vanitas hisses through the darkness, and Ventus rubs his eyes as he sits up, barely able to make Vanitas’s face out in the dark.

“Hmm?”

“Thank you.”

Ven raises an eyebrow, confused in his grogginess. “For what?”

Vanitas holds a brief pause. “Believing in me.”

A smile cracks across Ven’s face as he reaches forward to poke Vanitas in the cheek. “Oh, you softie. I’ll always believe in you.”

Vanitas sighs, shaking his head. “You had no reason to, though.”

“Didn’t need one,” Ventus says with a yawn. “Why are you still up?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Vanitas admits. “I’ve never really found sleeping easy until we started sharing a room, and now that I’m down the hall it’s weird again.”

“Well, you’re welcome to stay here.”

Vanitas pauses. “There’s no bed on the floor anymore.”

Ventus rolls over, patting the empty bed next to him. “Climb on in.”

“I don’t-”

“Oh, shut up, Vanitas. My bed’s comfier, anyway.”

Vanitas doesn’t respond, Ventus assumes due to stubborn embarrassment, but Ven doesn’t really care as he drifts off to sleep easier the second time around.

 

* * *

  
Ventus wakes up to Vanitas’s arm slung over his own body.

He looks at it with a chuckle, turning over as his movements seem to wake Vanitas up as well.

“Good morning,” Ventus says, groggy, as Vanitas’s eyes slowly open.

“Morn,” Vanitas grumbles. “Five more minutes.”

Ventus laughs, rolling his eyes as he notices the puddle of drool beneath Vanitas’s face. “You can stay as long as you like.”

A small, small smile tugs at the side of Vanitas’s lips as he nods.

“That sounds pretty good to me.”


End file.
